United States: Baseball championship victory parade in Houston (TX) Nov. 3

Event

Houston (Texas) Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that the city will hold a celebratory parade on Friday, November 3, in honor of the Houston Astros’ victory in the 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series. The parade will begin at 14:00 (local time), however city officials will close the route to traffic beginning at 13:00. The downtown route will begin on Smith Street at Lamar Street, and will proceed north on Smith Street, east on Walker Street, south on Milam Street, west on Pease Street, and finally north on Smith Street until reaching Lamar Street. Following the parade, there will be a celebratory rally outside City Hall. Officials expect a turnout of up to 750,000 attendees.

Authorities have announced a significant security deployment to ensure order and security during the celebration, with security concerns particularly high in the wake of the car-ramming terrorist attack in New York City (New York) only three days prior, which resulted in eight fatalities. Significant transportation disruptions linked to increased security, road closures, and extremely crowded conditions are to be anticipated in the area. In addition, officials issued a notice that due to residual damage from Hurricane Harvey, many local parking garages remain closed, which will likely lead to increased traffic congestion and a parking shortage. Authorities are encouraging attendees to use public transportation whenever possible.

Context

This is the Houston Astros’ first World Series victory in franchise history.

The October 31 car-ramming incident in New York City targeted bikers on a popular bike path in Manhattan, near the World Trade Center. The vehicle drove down the path, striking down individuals before colliding with a school bus. The driver was detained immediately following the attack. At this time it appears the perpetrator acted alone but was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. Authorities across the United States have been on heightened alert since the attack, and security has been stepped up at key sites and for large events throughout the country in the intervening days.

Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding in the Houston area in August 2017. At least 1 million people were displaced during the storm, which produced an estimated USD 180 billion in damage throughout Texas. Recovery efforts are ongoing as of November 2017.

Advice

Individuals in Houston should anticipate transportation disruptions in the downtown area as well as an increased security presence, and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the local authorities.